


Early Days of a Better Nation

by elrhiarhodan



Series: Recompense [4]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Apologies, Fatherhood, Friendship, Hartmon, M/M, Movie Night, Older Man/Younger Man, Post-Flash Back Hartley, Power Imbalance, Slash, barrison
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-02
Updated: 2016-04-02
Packaged: 2018-05-30 15:52:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,521
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6430768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elrhiarhodan/pseuds/elrhiarhodan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cisco and Hartley are together in a committed relationship, but Hartley doesn't really want to go to Movie Night.  Cisco backs him into a corner and he has no choice but to give in and attend.  It's not that Hartley doesn't like movies, he just doesn't want to spend time socializing with the doppelganger of the man who'd once broken his heart.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Early Days of a Better Nation

**Author's Note:**

> **Warnings/Enticements/Triggers** : Reference to power-imbalance and possible sexual coercion (past) between Harrison Wells | Eobard Thawne and Hartley Rathaway.
> 
>  **Spoilers** : S1.11 – The Sound and the Fury, S2.17 – Flash Back
> 
> This is my first attempt at writing Hartley Rathaway, my first attempt at Hartmon, and is set in the same verse as [Recompense](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5965450) and [You Are Not Alone In This](http://archiveofourown.org/works/6114061), about eight months after the latter story ended. I had always planned a story that reintroduces Hartley, but after the events in **Flash Back** , those plans changed and became a lot more appealing.
> 
> The title is from an Oysterband song of the same name.
> 
> * * *
> 
> (9/10/16): I was re-reading this and found myself cringing at the typos and awkward phrasing and realized that this needed a few revisions, particularly the opening scene. No plot points have been changed, except for the retconning of a minor reference to Henry Allen towards the end of the story

"Here you go." Hartley filled a mug with coffee and handed it to Cisco with a smile. 

As usual for a workday, they'd gotten up early and already had breakfast. Afterwards, Cisco had gone to shower and get ready for work – not that putting on jeans and whatever graphic tee was at the top of the pile took much effort – while Hartley checked the news. 

As always, when Cisco came out of the bedroom, they shared a second cup of coffee before leaving for their respective places of employment. Cisco - of course - was heading to S.T.A.R. Labs and Hartley to Mercury, where he was running a number of projects.

So much of his life had the power to stop Hartley in his tracks and make him wonder if this life was really just a dream borne out of too much loneliness and desperation. To be sharing his life with a man he loved, a man who loved him, seemed like a miracle. That this man was Cisco Ramon – his equal in _every_ respect, made that miracle even more precious. Hartley would never let himself forget that not too long ago, he'd expected to die an old and lonely man. Or more likely, as a young and lonely man, who took one too many risks because the loneliness was unbearable.

Somehow, something changed. He didn't know what or when it did. Maybe the change happened he had thought he'd finally get his vengeance against Harrison Wells but his plans to destroy the Flash became a frantic effort to save him. Or maybe it was seeing Wells in the wheelchair, angry and frustrated and so diminished that made him realize just how pointless his revenge was.

No, that wasn't it – or it wasn't all it. The truth was that his life changed because of Cisco Ramon. In a heartbeat, he went from nemesis to ally on that very strange day. 

Objectively, he and Cisco Ramon were like water and oil. But Cisco, in his stupid graphic tee shirts and long hair, filled an emptiness in his soul, healed the wounds left by his family's indifference and distain. 

The healing started when Cisco looked at him with gratitude after he'd managed to chase off that Dementor-like thing; a "time wraith" as he'd later called it. It accelerated when Cisco came to Hartley again, while he was still locked in that pipeline cell, seeking the truth about Ronnie Raymond. He looked at Cisco and for the first time, didn't see a rival for Wells' attention and affection, but a man who was grieving for a friend, who felt guilty for what he thought was his role in Raymond's death.

Hartley didn't want to acknowledge those feelings when Cisco disregarded Wells' orders and let him go. 

Before he ran into the night, Hartley had looked at Cisco and realized that life was all about choices. He could choose to be angry, to think that the world had dealt him a raw deal, that he was entitled to his arrogant and contemptuous behavior because he was always the smartest person in the room.

Or he could behave like a human being and maybe - just maybe - not have to live a life on the edge of desperation.

Almost a year after that night - ten months after the Singularity, Cisco sought him out again, needing Hartley's expertise in finding a permanent solution to the time wraith. There were other things in play - Hartley could tell, but he didn't have the courage to ask. Things that involved Wells and the Flash and everything that had happened at S.T.A.R. Labs.

Hartley had helped without question, and in that moment, become part of Team Flash. The next day, Cisco asked him out on a date.

He'd been skeptical, thinking it was some sort of a cruel joke, but then Cisco leaned in, kissed him gently and asked him if he liked spicy food. The next four months had been a revelation, in too many ways. The worst was learning the real truth about Harrison Wells and how Cisco had suffered far worse at his hands than he'd ever had. The best was discovering that he could have a life and happiness and friends, that he didn't have to defend his position like Horatius at the bridge. That he had nothing to prove and every reason to live.

Cisco took a sip from the cup and sighed with pleasure. "I knew I kept you around for a reason."

Hartley chuckled, shaken from his reverie. "My coffee making skills are more important to you that my blow job skills?"

"Hmmm." Cisco frowned and considered the question. "Well, you do give the best head _ever_ , so maybe both?" He leaned across the counter and kissed him. 

Hartley smiled against Cisco's lips. "And I'll be delighted to prove my talents again tonight, when you get home from work."

But when Cisco pulled away, there was a small frown on his face. "It's the third Friday, Hart."

"Ah, right." The third Friday of the month was usually movie nights at Casa Chambers, or as he couldn't help but think of the place – Harrison Wells' house. Up until now, he'd been able to get out of attending with reasonably plausible excuses. But he didn't have one for tonight.

"I wish you'd come with me."

"I really don't think I'd be welcome." 

"Why not?" Cisco crossed his arms over his chest, clearly upset at his continuing refusal.

"It's a family thing. I shouldn't barge in."

"First of all – that doesn't even make sense. Secondly, you're _my_ family, and thirdly, it's not a "family" thing. It's a Team Flash thing. And the last time I looked, you're very much part of Team Flash."

"Only on a consulting basis."

"Stop being a dick, Hart. You help us when we need you. You show up without question and that's all that counts."

Hartley wanted to call Cisco on that unintentional double-entendre but he couldn't. Instead, he busied himself with cleaning up the breakfast dishes. "I – " He braced his arms against the counter and tried to quell all the negative emotions that rose at the thought of seeing the man now called Harry Chambers. It would be even worse seeing him in Harrison Wells' house – the scene of the crime, so to speak.

Cisco joined him at the sink and rested a warm hand against his back, stroking gently. "Why won't you come? Jesse asks about you, Wally always wants to pick your brain about sound masking. Iris will give _me_ the stare of doom when I show up without you. You're my partner, you should be with me."

Hartley turned around and couldn't help himself, _"Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee, for where thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people"?_

__"Huh?"_ _

__"Savage. That's from the Book of Ruth. You probably know it by the bit 'witherest thou goest'."_ _

__Cisco snorted, "Stop deflecting, Hart. Why don't you want to come to movie night? You actually like pop culture, don't pretend otherwise."_ _

__Hartley couldn't. One of the things that ultimately drew them together was his own shy confession to loving an obscure British science fiction show that Cisco had never seen or heard of, and then offering to share his prized DVDs, the ones he'd actually travelled to London to buy._ _

__So he shrugged and then tried to pull away. Cisco wouldn't let him._ _

__"Hart, come on. Talk to me."_ _

__"It's… " He sighed. "It's Wells."_ _

__"Harry?"_ _

__Hartley grimaced at the diminutive. "Harrison."_ _

__"No, it's Harry, Harry Chambers. That's his legal name now. Has he been a dick to you?"_ _

__"No, of course not." It had been almost two years since Hartley had been introduced to the Earth-2 version of his former mentor and bête noir. Despite the physical similarities, he knew they were different people. But the physical similarity still freaked him out and Hartley kept his time with the man to a minimum. He didn't want give Harrison a chance to be a dick to him._ _

__"Then, is he nice to you?" Cisco tried to joke._ _

__"Not any nicer to me than he is to you."_ _

__Cisco was getting that mulish look on his face, the one that always spelled trouble._ _

__"You're not going to let this go, are you?"_ _

__"Not if there's something bothering you. Not if Harry's not nice to you."_ _

__"Look, it's not _Harry_. It's me."_ _

__"Hart?"_ _

__"Actually, it was Harrison. Not Harry." He bit his lip. "I never wanted to tell you." He could feel a flush of shame climb his cheeks._ _

__And of course, Cisco pulled the rug out from under him with a single sentence. "That you two had an affair?"_ _

__"You knew?"_ _

__"Hart, _everyone_ knew – that whole bit about the "chosen one" and "my guy" was a dead giveaway. Until you showed up as the Pied Piper and spilled the beans about the flaw in the particle accelerator, we all thought you were fired because you two had a personal falling out."_ _

__Cisco's wording made Hartley smile. "You don't have to be nice about it. I bet you all thought that I had gotten too clingy and needy and Wells simply got fed up."_ _

__"Well, yeah." Cisco had the grace to flush. "You weren't the least bit subtle about your feelings for him."_ _

__"No, I guess I wasn't."_ _

__Cisco, though, cut to the heart of the matter. "So, you have issues with Harry because he reminds you of Eobard Thawne?"_ _

__Hartley still had trouble thinking of the man he'd known as Harrison Wells by his real name, but he could understand everyone else's reluctance to keep referring to him as "evil Wells" or "fake Wells". "I don't have trouble with him. We don't interact much. I prefer it that way."_ _

__"Okay." Cisco stepped away and settled on one of the stools. "I can understand why you wouldn't want to come to movie night. I'll just let Jesse know I won't be there."_ _

__"Cisco, no! You love movie nights. You should go." He hated the thought of making Cisco unhappy because of his own selfishness._ _

__"Not without you, Hart. You and me, we're partners. I don't go out and have fun while you sit here alone and miserable. This isn't some casual thing we have. We live together, we share everything – and if socializing with Harry 'Just a Dick' Chambers makes you unhappy, then I won't go."_ _

__Hartley couldn't help but relish the warm feeling Cisco's speech gave him, but he wasn't going to let his boyfriend deprive himself of something he enjoyed so much because _he_ was a head case. "Cisco, you're being ridiculous. Barry will be there, Caitlin and Iris and Jesse and Wally. Your friends. It's not like Harris –" He stopped and corrected himself, "Harry isn't the only one that will be there."_ _

__"Our friends, Hart. _Our_ friends. And that's my point. There will be plenty of people around. You won't even have to talk to Harry if you don't want to." Cisco gave him a particularly sweet smile that was tinged with triumph._ _

__Hartley shook his head in defeat. "You're good, mio Ciscquito. Really good. I didn't see that trap until you sprang it. I'll make a chess player out of you yet."_ _

__"So, you'll come tonight?"_ _

__"At least once, but only when we get home."_ _

__Cisco chuckled and kissed him. "What do you mean, only once?"_ _

____

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Over the last half a year, "movie night" had transformed from a bit of escapism and a way to learn about this Earth's cultural touchstones to a bonding exercise for the team to an elaborate event designed to drive Harry Chambers crazy.

Picking movies became a complex affair complete with randomizers and genre-sorting algorithms and when that failed to produce an acceptable choice, someone would break out the twelve-sided dice. 

At some point, setting up a large monitor in the living room and passing around bowls of microwaved popcorn wasn't enough. Jesse insisted that Harry needed to put in a screening room in the basement, with "proper" seating and lighting, and obtain a real popcorn maker and upgrade all of the AV equipment to the highest spec obtainable.

None of these things Harry particularly objected to, except for the seating. He just didn't like that his daughter wanted to put in theater style seats with dividers and arm rests. Things designed to keep him from snuggling with Barry during the movie. So what? He liked snuggling and no one was going to shame him about it or tell him he couldn't.

But it was all the people coming now, not just the core Team Flash. The three Wests were regular participants, Wally – who was somewhat dating his daughter; Iris – who may or may not be romantically involved with Snow; and Joe who wasn't dating anyone but would look at him, look at his guests, and just shake his head before pouring them both generous measures of scotch. 

Sometimes Iris would bring Linda Park with her and she and Snow seemed to get along very well, too. Also, Joe's boss and his husband were occasional guests, too. Apparently Barry decided he needed to bring the man into the loop – which made sense, given how many times Barry would disappear the moment the Flash arrived and vice-versa. 

There were times that Harry thought that Barry should just take out a full-page ad in the Central City Picture News, announcing that he was The Flash and be done with all the non-secrecy.

Tonight, however, David and Robert Singh were not on the guest list, nor was Linda Park, but Cisco's boyfriend was.

Dr. Hartley Rathaway.

Harry had a bad feeling about the young man. Not bad in the sense that he presented a danger to the team as a whole or to Cisco, specifically. No, he had the inescapable feeling that Eobard Thawne had done something rather awful to him, something more than firing him for raising questions about the safety of the particle accelerator.

From what he knew about Thawne and Barry, and what he'd learned about Hartley Rathaway from his own research, he wouldn't have been surprised if Thawne had seduced and abandoned the boy.

Which would explain why Rathaway generally avoided him at S.T.A.R. Labs; why, in one of the very few one-on-one conversations he'd had with him, when he'd casually suggested that Rathaway might want to come back and work full time at the lab instead of the occasional consulting gig, Rathaway looked like he was about to have a stroke.

And it wasn't like he could _force_ Rathaway to tell him what had happened, like he had with Cisco that first night. If he even tried, Cisco would make his life a misery, Jesse would find out and then not talk to him for weeks, and if Barry knew, well then he could kiss his sex life goodbye for the foreseeable future. Besides, he didn't like being a bully. Not these days, when his days and nights weren't ruled by desperation and a fear of failure.

Or maybe he was completely wrong about Rathaway. Maybe Hartley was still smarting over his summary dismissal from S.T.A.R. Labs, and couldn't separate Harry's face from that of the murderous imposter's. 

But tonight, it seemed that Rathaway had gotten over his distaste, and was coming here for movie night. He'd probably snuggle with Cisco and eat too much of the popcorn and there'd be no awkward moments.

Harry went to the kitchen, sniffed appreciative at the scents coming from the warming oven, and pulled a beer out of the fridge. He briefly smiled at the wealth of meat-based snack foods inside, and then frowned as he figured there was definitely zero chance that there would be any lack of awkward moments tonight. Because that was how life worked on this Earth.

"You look way too serious." Barry came up behind him, wrapped his arms around his waist and planted a kiss on his neck, just below his ear. "What's the matter?"

"Hartley Rathaway is coming tonight." He could feel Barry freeze. "What's the matter? I thought you liked him."

"I do. And I'm happy that he's coming."

"But?" Harry turned around. "What do you know that I should know?"

Barry shook his head. "Nothing."

"You are a terrible liar when your life isn't on the line. You know that."

Barry shrugged and grimaced. "Really, it's nothing."

Harry just raised an eyebrow. "What sort of mess am I walking into?"

"Remember when I went back in time to see Thawne?"

"Don't remind me. That was a stupid risk."

"No, it was the right thing to do. We wouldn't have stopped Zoom otherwise."

"But?"

"Remember how you warned me about the timeline changing?"

"How could I forget?" He glared at Barry. "I probably shouldn't ask, but what changed?" He was kind of proud that Barry managed not to tell him something. The man had finally learned how to keep a secret. 

"Well, there were two major changes."

Harry sighed – he had a bad feeling about this. "The first?"

"Your bedroom at the Lab got a paint job and some really cool furniture."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Seriously, Allen."

"I am serious." Barry was making him work for it. 

Harry asked, a touch exasperated, "What was the other change?"

"Hartley Rathaway became a really nice person."

"He wasn't before?"

"No, he was pretty horrible. And not without reason. His parents – pre-time travel – had disowned him when he told them he was gay. Now – "

"The Rathaway Foundation is one of the leading lights in Central City for homeless gay and transgender youths. And Hartley is very close with his family."

"Yup. It's just strange, knowing the before and after."

"This is why you shouldn't mess with time. Even if the changes to the timeline are good."

Barry neither agreed or disagreed, he just kissed him, then examined the contents of the fridge with greedy eyes – until Jesse came in, informed them both that the food was for "the guests" and would they please get out of her kitchen if they were going to do unhygienic things to each other.

"I love you, daughter of mine, but there are times when you – " The doorbell rang, cutting him off. 

"There are always times, so go answer the door."

He glared at her but went to open the door. Of course, it was Cisco and Rathaway. Or should he now think of him as "Hartley"? This was getting to be all too much.

"Hey, Harry." Cisco made a shooing gesture. "Are you going to stand there all night or can we come in?"

"Yes, of course." He stepped aside.

Rathaway was hanging back, with a less-than-pleased expression on his face. Harry decided to freak him out – he needed some fun in his life. So he grinned, the one that Jesse said reminded her of a cross between a hungry tiger and the Cheshire Cat. "Welcome to Movie Night, Doctor Rathaway." He held out his hand.

"Thank you." Instead of taking his hand, the man gave him a bottle of wine. "Hope you like a good red."

Harry glanced at the label. The vintage was French and the year was meaningless to him, but somehow he knew that this was probably very fine and extremely expensive. "Thank you."

Jesse came bounding over and took over as hostess. She rolled her eyes at him, clearly conveying her disappointment with his social skills. She even grabbed the wine bottle from him, thanked Rathaway properly and ushered the couple into the living room, where the vast array of snacks had been set out.

Barry stood there, hands in his pockets and a bemused smile on his face. "I've been told not to touch until everyone else gets here. Guests can eat but I'm not a guest, apparently." Barry had a bottle of water and took a sip.

Harry, feeling extremely ill-used by his child and needing to take it out on someone, casually said, "No, you're not a guest. You're my boy toy."

And as expected, Barry choked. And so did someone standing behind him. Hartley Rathaway, who'd flushed an unbecoming shade of bright red. Harry didn't say anything else and stalked away, feeling like an intruder in his own home.

The Wests and Snow were the next group to arrive, but tonight they were without adult supervision. Joe was apparently needed at the station. Wally made a bee-line for his daughter and not willing to endure an evening of filial disapproval, Harry said nothing, did nothing, as the two of them seemed to blush and stammer their way through half a tray of prosciutto-wrapped melon. As long as the boy kept his hands off Jesse, he'd keep his distance.

Recovered from his coughing fit, Barry stood next to him, hands in his pockets and said completely unnecessarily, "You know, you're going to have to let her grow up sometime."

"Do I?" Harry sighed. Of course he did. He just wasn't ready, yet.

Barry, thankfully changed the subject. "Do you know what we're watching tonight?"

"Nope. Jesse picked. All she'd say was the first one was a classic about the dawn of the computer age and the second was a dance movie. Or maybe about a magician who dances, I don't know. Both titles were unfamiliar."

"Okay." Barry used his speed to filch a plate full of snacks. Harry was most appreciative.

He popped a mini-frank in his mouth, chewed and swallowed and casually commented, "You know, you didn't finish telling me about Hartley Rathaway."

"Nothing much else to tell. You know the story; he wanted revenge for getting kicked off the accelerator project. He ended up helping us defeat the time wraith."

"But why? Why did he feel the need to go so far? People are fired every day - for worse reasons than threatening to expose their boss' misdeeds, and they don't turn murderous."

"Um, they do. The disgruntled ex-employee is pretty much a cliché here."

"Not to the lengths that Rathaway had planned. From what I've gleaned, he was out to destroy you and by extension the man he thought of as Harrison Wells. Seems a little extreme. So, what gives?"

Barry rubbed the back of his neck. "What do you think?"

"Hartley and Thawne. I think they had an affair." 

"Probably. Cisco and Caitlin haven't come out and said it, but they'd pretty strongly hinted about it the first time I met Hartley."

"Great. It's bad enough my fake doppelganger is a confessed … " No, that was the _wrong_ thing to say.

Barry reworded his unfinished sentence, "Bad enough you'd could be mistaken for my mother's murderer, and now you're also wearing the face of a sexual predator."

Harry scrubbed that face. "Sorry." Actually, he'd known that Thawne was a sexual predator for a long time, but realizing that he'd directed his attentions to someone other than Barry was nauseating.

"Nothing to apologize for." Barry draped an arm around him and pulled him close. "It's not your fault."

"I know."

"But you can't help yourself. You still feel responsible."

Harry wanted to deny it, but he couldn't. "I don't like feeling like this."

Barry kissed him. "You're a good man, Harry Chambers. Remember that."

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Hartley was enjoying himself, as long as he could keep Wells - no Chambers - out of his line of sight. Down in the theater room, it wasn't hard. There were custom built seats built to hold two or three adults and he and Cisco had taken one down in front. Harrison and Barry were curled up together on another one a few rows back. Not Harrison, Harry. He shouldn't have any problem remembering that now, because this man - this "Harry Chambers" - was as different from the man he'd idolized, thought he'd loved, and then despised, as this year's Beaujolais Nouveau was from an '82 Bordeaux.

Spending just ten minutes in his company outside S.T.A.R. Labs made that very clear. Harry Chambers was all rough edges and raw temper with none of the imposter's elegance, wit or culture. But the biggest difference was that he was made of mush and had no issue about wearing his heart on his sleeve. That was apparent in how he let his daughter push him around, how he practically clung to Barry Allen like he was a life preserver. 

The Harrison Wells he'd known was the most self-contained man he'd ever met. Wells had formed no attachments and cared for nothing except that damn accelerator and eventually, Barry Allen. But it wasn't the same type of caring. Even before he knew the whole truth about Harrison Wells, the man's relationship with Allen smacked of wrongness. A worse wrongness than Hartley's own relationship with the fake Wells, who used him until he was no longer useful.

The fake Wells had been obsessed with Barry Allen. This other Wells, a real Wells, was a man in love. And Hartley didn't know how that made him feel.

He loved Cisco. Cisco loved him. They were in it for the long haul and Hartley was thinking it was time to propose. So why did Hartley suddenly feel like he was missing out? It was irrational. He never had a shot with Harry Chambers, he certainly never _wanted_ a shot with Harry Chambers, but now he was all confused. 

The credits rolled for the end of the first movie, an enjoyable Technicolor romp set in the late 1950s New York. He vaguely remembered watching it with his grandmother, who had adored Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy. Of course, it was terribly dated and not at all realistic, but there was still something charming about it.

Cisco was stretched out and had watched most of the movie with his head in Hartley's lap, which Hartley didn't mind in the least. He used the opportunity to comb his fingers through Cisco's hair, luxuriating in the silken mass and his boyfriend's steady purring.

At least until Cisco got to his feet and stretched. "How long until the second feature?"

Jesse answered, "How about we all take a half-hour break?"

There was a general agreement to that plan and Hartley got up, too, and decided to talk a walk outside and clear his head.

It was almost four years since he'd been here and although it was full dark, he still could find his way around. Wells – Thawne, and he really needed to remember that – had been particularly proud of the property. Hartley could understand why, with its cutting edge architecture, immaculate grounds, and almost impenetrable security. But he'd penetrated it all too easily and had taken such pleasure in bringing some of the structure down on that bastard's head. He didn't really want to kill the man he'd thought of as Harrison Wells, just scare him and put him off balance.

He was about to head back inside when a face – a ghost – appeared out of nowhere. "Doctor Rathaway."

He crashed backwards into some furniture. The patio lights came on and a hand reached out and steadied him. His heart stopped racking and he realized this wasn't a ghost, just Harry Chambers. "Sorry – you startled me."

"Then you have my apologies." Harry gestured at the chairs. "Take a seat?"

"Sure, sure." Hartley swallowed nervously.

The other man offered him a bottle of beer and even though he preferred wine, he accepted it – if just to be sociable.

"I hope you don't mind that I've ambushed you like this."

He did, but couldn't bring himself to say that. "It's all right." He opened the beer and took a sip. It wasn't bad, as beer went.

The outdoor lighting was mostly for ambiance and provided little real illumination, but there was just enough that he could read Harry's face, and everything he saw reinforced the fact that this was not the man he'd come to loathe. This man looked genuinely regretful.

"I feel as if I owe you another apology."

"For what?" Hartley was genuinely puzzled. "You already apologized for scaring the shit out of me." He bit his lip, Cisco was rubbing off on him. He'd never have used language like that before. 

Harry sighed. "For my doppelganger's – the imposter's – crimes against you."

"Ah."

Harry didn't say anything and unnerved, Hartley blurted out, "So I guess Cisco or Caitlin told you."

"About you and Thawne? No. But it wasn't hard to figure out. He was a user and an exploiter, and from everything I've read and heard, he used and exploited your brilliance. You were young and vulnerable, two qualities that he probably found irresistible."

Hartley nodded. "That, I was. But why are you apologizing? It wasn't your fault."

"When confronted with Eobard Thawne's crimes, I find myself uncomfortably reminded of certain less attractive qualities in myself. Not that I would have ever touched any of my employees, as he had with you, but there were people and situations I exploited in the name of progress and I will never have the chance to make things right with them."

"So I am a stand-in for your acts of contrition?" 

"That is a good way of putting it. But I am truly sorry that you were hurt."

"I survived and I think I've become a better person." Hartley smiled, suddenly warmed by a thought. "And if it wasn't for Thawne, I would never have met Cisco."

Harry grinned, too, and that was an unnerving sight – white teeth and blue eyes glowing in the half-light. He could never remember seeing such true pleasure on the imposter's face. "It's good to see Cisco happy. He doesn't annoy me as much these days."

That startled a laugh out of Hartley and he felt all his defenses drop. "You do know what he calls you, in private?"

"I'm sure he has several names for me, but let me guess at his favorite. It's 'Just a dick', right?"

"Yes – he's called you that to your face?"

"Many times." Harry took a sip from his bottle. "It's good that you make him happy. It's good that he makes you happy. But – " 

Feeling a little brave, Hartley interrupted, "It this where you give me the shovel talk?"

Harry nodded. "It seems appropriate. His family doesn't care about him and I find myself concerned about his well-being."

 _Yes, Harry Chambers was a big ball of mush._ "No need for the shovel talk, Harry. I'd sooner ditch my hearing aids permanently than hurt Cisco."

"No need to be so dramatic. I'll be having the same conversation with Cisco about you."

Hartley blinked, surprised. "Why?"

"Because I want to. That's why."

From the darkness, Hartley heard Cisco calling his name. 

He waved and called out, "Over here."

His boyfriend approached. "Everything all right?"

"Just fine. Harry and I were just … clearing up some things. It's all good, now."

Cisco wrapped his arms around him, pulling him out of the chair. "That's good. Come on, Jesse wants to start the next movie."

Hartley flicked a glance over to Harry, who seemed content to sit in the darkness. "See you inside?"

"I'll be there in a few."

Cisco drew him back to the house, and once inside, asked, "You really okay?"

Hartley rested his head on Cisco's shoulders. "Yes, really. And thank you for this."

Cisco grinned. "After the second feature, you're really going to thank me."

"Oh? What _are_ we watching."

"Magic Mike XXL."

"Seriously? We're watching a stripper movie?"

"Yup."

"Does Harry know what his daughter's got queued up?"

"Nope, and seeing his reaction is going to be half the fun.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Harry lingered in the darkness, enjoying the relative quiet, if not the solitude.

"You coming back in?" That was Barry.

"Yeah." But he made no move to get up.

"How did your talk with Hartley go?"

"It went."

"You can't undo the past, Harry. You can't fix it." Barry knew him far too well. "You can only move forward."

"That's funny, coming from you." Harry gazed out into the darkness.

"No, actually it's not. I've never intentionally fixed anything by traveling back in time. I've fixed things accidentally – yes, but nothing I've ever set out to change has worked out well."

"Yes, of course." He sipped his beer. "That was unkind of me."

"You're in an unkind mood."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I understand." Barry got up and stood over him. "Believe me, I understand all too well." He reached down and stroked his cheek. "It's not an easy life we lead, but we do our best."

"Thank you." He reached out and took Barry's hand.

"For what?"

"Reminding me that I am a better person." He got up and threaded his fingers through Barry's. "Let's go, before Jesse comes looking for us. She'll probably want to start the next movie."

Barry laughed. "I think you're going to enjoy it."

"Really?"

"Uh huh." 

As they approached the house, there was enough light to read Barry's expression, and Harry said, "Why am I suddenly worried?"

__

FIN

**Author's Note:**

> The first movie that Team Flash watches is [Desk Set](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desk_Set), a thoroughly charming and adorably outdated movie ostensibly about the dawn of the computer age. I thought it would be a nice choice for Team Flash to laugh over.
> 
> * * *
> 
> And as always, feel free to follow me at my tumblr [Obscene Circus Ponies](http://elrhiarhodan.tumblr.com/), and on my old school (and much beloved) [LiveJournal](http://elrhiarhodan.livejournal.com/) account.


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